Knights The Hand of Tharnin

chapter 5: The Divine Shield

The three Squires, led by Jace and the two guards, walked the wooded trail to the North Tower. Lannon kept trying to peer into the shadows beyond the torchlight, wondering if a poison arrow was pointed his way or if another Bloodfang (or something worse) was lying in wait for him. Lannon would have preferred to meet with the High Council in the morning, as he was still sore and shaken from the attack in the Temple, but the Knights didn't like to wait when it was an issue of great importance.

They found the High Council gathered at one of the long tables in Dremlock Hall (the Great Hall of the North Tower) minus Furlus Goblincrusher and Trenton Shadowbane. Taris was present, having healed rapidly, with half of his face bearing an ugly scar from his burns. Also seated at the table were Aldreya and Jerret (Jerret's shoulder was bandaged from the poison arrow attack) and Garrin Daggerblood. Garrin's eyes smoldered with anger. A crackling blaze in the large stone fireplace made the room comfortably warm, but the atmosphere seemed cold and full of tension. Also present was a bearded, muscular, dark-skinned Red Knight named Thrake Wolfaxe. Thrake was not a member of the High Council, but he was a high-ranking and respected Knight.

Garrin glowered at Lannon, his expression promising the Squire that he would suffer greatly. Lannon looked away in disgust, hating what Garrin had obviously become. To Lannon, Garrin's eyes looked savage and evil--infested with the Deep Shadow. They reminded Lannon of Goblin eyes.

Jace motioned for the Squires to sit, though Jace remained standing--a figure that towered over everyone present. He wiped sweat from his forehead and adjusted his cloak. His curly black hair was in disarray, but his eyes were stern with focus. "I'm sure Cordus informed all of you why I have asked for this meeting." He held up the ring, which looked quite small in his hand. "The evidence is clear. Garrin Daggerblood is behind the attempt on Lannon's life."

Garrin slapped the table in outrage. "How dare you accuse me of such a crime? You, who are an outsider--a failed Knight expelled from the Divine Order. And where did this so-called assassination attempt take place? And when?"

Jace's gaze never wavered. "In the Temple. After dark."

"And what were you doing in the Temple at that hour?" said Cordus. "The Temple is locked when the daily gatherings are finished. After dark, it is a forbidden area."

"Exactly!" said Garrin. "How can this Jace fellow even be trusted, now that we know he cares nothing for the Sacred Laws of Dremlock?"

"We should not have entered the Temple," said Jace, looking a bit uncomfortable. He cleared his throat. "It was ill advised and I take the blame for it. We were seeking evidence with the Eye of Divinity. So we bent the rules a bit."

"Such behavior is not tolerated," said Cordus. "You must seek permission from a Tower Master before you enter any forbidden areas. And Lannon must be guarded by Knights at all times. Is that understood?"

"Perfectly," said Jace, bowing. "It won't happen again. Nevertheless, we did enter the Temple and Lannon was attacked. Oh, and Garrin's ring was found on the Goblin. That's very strong evidence of his ties to Tharnin, wouldn't you say?"

"It is nonsense," said Garrin. "My ring was stolen from me yesterday...from my bedchamber. Someone has tried to plant false evidence, to divide the Knights of Dremlock by creating suspicion in order to weaken us."

"That explanation is plausible," said Vesselin Hopebringer, the ancient Lord of the White Knights. His wrinkled hands trembled as he sipped water from a silver goblet. His face was barely visible beneath his huge white beard. "Garrin has always been an honorable Knight and a fine teacher. Why should we now accuse him of being a liar and in league with the Deep Shadow?"

"I agree," said Krissana Windsword, the Birlote archer. "The accusation is extremely serious. We must give Garrin the benefit of the doubt. This could be, as Garrin said, simply an attempt to divide and weaken us."

"Taris, what do you think?" said Cordus, stroking his unkempt black beard thoughtfully. "You know Garrin better than anyone here."

Taris' face, which was partially concealed beneath the hood of his cloak, showed no emotion. "I suppose we have to believe Garrin, without stronger evidence against his claim. But we should investigate further."

"I feel the same way," said Cordus. "The evidence is not enough. It appears there is no need for a vote."

"I think this is a rather large mistake," said Jace, sighing. "Frankly, I'm stunned at this decision. I'm convinced Garrin Daggerblood is in league with Tharnin. He reeks of Tharnin. I have become quite adept at identifying puppets of the Deep Shadow over the many, many decades that I've been alive. All of you must bear in mind that I am very old--older even than Vesselin Hopebringer, who has seen more than one-hundred and thirty winters."

"So very old," snarled Garrin, "yet with the face of a young man. Forbidden sorcery. You have altered your body with evil."

"My ways are forbidden to Dremlock," said Jace, "but they are not the ways of Tharnin." He glanced at Taris Warhawk for help.

"Jace speaks the truth," said Taris. "His sorcery is acceptable beyond the walls of Dremlock--though extremely rare among Noracks. There are plenty of Birlotes, and even some retired Knights, who use sorcery to preserve youth--though I admit Jace has done an exceptional job of it. In no way is that an indication of the influence of Tharnin."

"I agree," said Krissana Windsword. "There are Birlotes with extremely noble hearts who live for centuries. While I find it highly unusual that a Norack can preserve his youth to such a degree, it has been known to happen."

"Jace, you may continue," said Cordus.

"What I was saying," Jace went on, "is that I have great experience in matters like these. I know a slave of the Deep Shadow when I see one."

"Yet you are reckless," said Cordus. "Your life has been one of turmoil. You have made many wretched decisions, and in spite of your age, you apparently haven't learned wisdom. You act impulsively and put everyone around you at risk. Truthfully, you seem lost in your own little world."

Jace lowered his gaze. "Fair enough. I have made my share of mistakes. And yes, I've spent far too much time with my nose buried in books." He fidgeted uncomfortably. "But I'm telling you this man is guilty!" He pointed a long finger at Garrin. "Heed my words, Council members, or face this puppet's wrath!"

"Filthy lies!" Garrin retorted.

"Enough," said Cordus. "We have made our decision. Garrin, you are dismissed. You may return to your duties unrestricted."

Garrin rose and bowed. He sneered at Lannon as he walked past on his way out, letting the Squire know he wasn't finished with him.

Lannon groaned inwardly. It didn't surprise him that the ring was not enough evidence to sway the High Council. Garrin Daggerblood was well respected in Dremlock. But like Jace, Lannon was certain that Garrin could not be trusted. To make matters worse, Garrin was a powerful Blue Knight skilled in the arts of stealth and assassination. If he wanted Lannon dead, Lannon would have his hands full trying to protect himself. Garrin knew many silent ways to kill.

"Now, I have a question," said Cordus, addressing Jace. "We're paying you a lot of silver to dig up answers, and though I admire you for finding Garrin's ring and bringing the issue to our attention, I feel a bit cheated. Is that all you have for us? What of the demon man and his gauntlet?"

"As a matter of fact," said Jace, "I do have an update on that situation." Jace pulled a leather-bound book from a pocket of his cloak. He held it up. "I found this in the East Tower Library, covered in dust in a storage room. It reveals drawings of an item similar to the demon man's gauntlet--an item called The Hand of Tharnin. It is said to be an unstable weapon, causing madness, and thus it is a forbidden device under Tharnin law. The gauntlet was wielded by a powerful Black Knight who went mad and slaughtered his fellow warriors. The gauntlet was lost three centuries ago during a great battle." Jace scratched his head. "Well, that's all I can gather so far. The book is written in old Knightly code, difficult to translate, which is probably why it was all but discarded. And I suspect it is probably somewhat inaccurate."

"Anything else?" said Cordus. "Anything a bit more useful?"

"Yes, one more topic," said Jace. "I saw the demon man. He visited me in the forest and told me to bring Lannon to the ruins of Serenlock Castle--that he would face Lannon in a duel to the death."

Gasps arose from the High Council members. Cordus motioned for silence. "Why did you not report this immediately?"

Lannon shuddered. He hoped the Knights would not agree to the demon man's request. Considering what had happened the last time the demon man had gotten close to Lannon, he doubted they would.

"It happened earlier," said Jace. "I was focused on the evidence against Garrin Daggerblood and I didn't want to distract from this issue. Bear in mind that I am not a Knight. I don't have to report anything that doesn't pertain to the issue I'm being paid to resolve. Regardless, I have now reported the incident.

"And what do you think of his request?" said Cordus. "A trap?"

"Of course it's a trap," said Jace. "But my guess is that the trap is simply that the demon man thinks he can kill Lannon in combat. I believe he is mistaken. I believe Lannon can defeat him."

Lannon gulped. "But he almost killed me!"

"I have to agree with Lannon," said Taris. "Not only was the lad nearly slain, but Furlus and I were struck down."

"Lannon wasn't ready for that encounter," said Jace. "I believe the Eye of Divinity learns and adapts, that it will be better prepared for the next encounter. I suggest a small company of Knights and myself escort Lannon to Serenlock Castle. There, we shall let the duel take place. I'm confident Lannon will defeat his foe, and then we will have the demon man back in captivity."

"It's an extremely risky plan," said Cordus. "It seems we would be doing exactly what our foes want us to do. That is not the way of the Divine Order. We should bring surprise to them instead."

The Red Knight named Thrake Wolfaxe nodded. "Cordus speaks true. It is never wise to do anything our foes wish us to do--even if it seems we can gain an easy victory. It is always better to do the unexpected."

"Knightly logic," said Jace, "is not always, well, logical. This time, the situation is clear. The demon man thinks he can kill Lannon, and he is wrong. The surprise will be when he finds himself defeated."

"I don't like this plan at all," said Lannon, hoping the Knights would agree with him. "It's way too dangerous. I don't think I can win!"

"Yet I believe you must try," said Jace. "The demon man said that if you fail to partake in this duel, he will bring Dremlock to the ground--striking from the shadows. He also said he would attack innocents all over Silverland. Surely, many people will die if you refuse. Are you prepared to let that happen?"

Lannon bowed his head and didn't answer, trying to think of a way out. Looking up, he saw that Jerret Dragonsbane was gazing at him. Jerret looked very troubled, as if he harbored some grim secret. Lannon wondered how deeply the poison arrow attack had affected him. Lannon expected Jerret to look away, but Jerret just kept gazing at him with the same disturbing expression.

"The Squires may speak," said Cordus, "for they too are at risk."

"Can't you do something, Lannon?" Jerret blurted out. "I don't want to be assassinated. You have the Eye of Divinity!"

"I don't want to die either," said Timlin, his face pale. "If someone tried to kill Jerret, I might be next!"

"I think you can do this, Lannon," said Vorden. "You have far more strength than you realize. I know you can do it."

"This is your chance to be a hero, Lannon," said Aldreya. "Better to die as a noble warrior than live as a coward. You should welcome this opportunity to prove yourself."

Lannon's face reddened with shame. Aldreya's courage made him feel terribly weak. He couldn't understand her thinking. He wanted to be a great, honorable Knight, and in order to meet that goal, he would have to confront his foes. But on the other hand, if he ended up slain in battle, he would never become a Knight anyway. It was a frustrating situation. But he knew if he refused an order to face the demon man in combat, he would be considered a coward--and cowards didn't become Divine Knights of Dremlock no matter what skills they possessed.

"Taris," said Cordus, "you know that I trust your advice more than the advice of any man alive. What do you think we should do?"

Taris sat in silence for several moments, his scarred face furrowed in thought beneath his hood. At last he shrugged. "I don't know for certain. But I agree with Jace that the Eye of Divinity can adapt--though we must bear in mind that it is a power that is not easily understood and unique to each person who possesses it. I can accompany the Knights to Serenlock. I will guard Lannon with my life. Yes, I think we should attempt this, rather than let the demon man attack us from the shadows. No matter which path we choose, there is great risk."

"I can send five Archers," said Krissana Windsword, "led by Fadar Stonebow, to follow on horseback and take position in the hills around Serenlock in case of an ambush."

"The Five Archers of Dremlock!" Aldreya said excitedly, to Lannon. "They were trained in my homeland of Borenthia before they came to this kingdom. Fadar Stonebow is the greatest Archer who has ever lived."

"Then who will guard the wall?" said Cordus, frowning. "Those Archers are essential to protecting our kingdom from outside invasion."

"We have other skilled Archers for that task," said Krissana. "Yes, the wall will be weakened in the absence of Dremlock's elite, but it will remain guarded. And protecting Lannon is vital to our kingdom."

"I don't like it," said Cordus, "but I'll trust your judgment on it, Krissana. And we do need to be alert to an ambush. We will send out the Elder Hawks to scour the land and make sure no large battalion of Goblins or Legion Soldiers is lurking along that route. If the way is clear, we will go ahead with the plan."

"I don't think I can do this," Lannon insisted. "This is a mistake! That demon man is far too powerful." He could feel his heart hammering in his chest. He couldn't believe the Knights were agreeing to Jace's mad plan.

Cordus' face hardened. "You will do as you are ordered, Lannon. And I am ordering you to do what you must to defend this kingdom. But you will not be without protection. I hereby call for a Divine Shield."

The other High Council members spoke their support.

"The Divine Shield," Cordus went on, "shall consist of Taris, Jace, and Lannon's friends and fellow Squires who share his peril." Cordus then ordered the huge Red Knight, Thrake Wolfaxe to join, along with the two Blue Knight guards, Willan Shadowwalker and Zannin Firespear. He also made Furlus an honorary member. Those present had to swear an oath to protect Lannon at all costs.

"The Divine Shield is strong," said Taris. "May our foes break against it."

Aldreya smiled at Lannon. "We'll defend you to our last breaths."

"That's right," said Vorden. "If you die, we die first."

"No enemy will get close to you, Lannon," said Timlin. He beamed. "This Divine Shield is a great idea."

"We're all in this together now," said Jerret. But he rubbed his shoulder, his face looking uncertain. The blond-haired Squire was usually cheerful and optimistic, but his eyes looked haunted. He seemed as terrified as Lannon.

Jace smiled at Lannon. "There are few men in this world who are defended by such quality warriors--and friends--as those who defend you."

Lannon did not return the smile. He was being ordered to fight a battle that seemed impossible to win. He'd felt the power of the demon man's gauntlet--power beyond any Knightly skills or even his Eye of Divinity. How could Lannon feel anything but misery when he was certain that nothing but death awaited him in the ruins of Serenlock Castle?